One Another

Steve Jeantet

Community and Connection • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Hebrews 10:24–25

Community

Brotherly Love

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Reviews the many "one another" passages from the NT to imprint the priority of being in community

Notes

Transcript

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Heb 10:24-25)

Pray

Introduction

Last week was at a major league baseball game with an announced attendance of about 25,000 people

Immediately thought: this is the biggest crowd of people I have been around in about 2 years

Then yesterday, I was at a grocery store that was giving out samples

Had this feeling that this was the most normal things had felt in so long

All while knowing, it’s still not really normal

There are still people I haven’t seen in over a year

People are still unsure if it is okay to hug or high five someone

We’ve all been through this collective trauma

All of a sudden, people were being told to stay home, go out only if necessary

We thought we could push through because this would only last for a couple of weeks or maybe a couple of months

We now know that to be wishful thinking

The sense of isolation, loneliness and dread set in quickly for many

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities locked down

Spouses separated with one in lockdown going the next 6 months with the spouse they have been married to for many years

Loved ones in the hospital with no one allowed to visit

Member of my congregation in the hospital and I was asked to go visit

Then at the hospital told that patients were only allowed one visitor per day

That meant that if I went up to see that guy, his wife was not going to be allowed to do so!

Rise of desperation diseases

Alcohol and drug use

Suicide

Depression

All on the rise

Effect: Hebrews tells us to not neglect meeting together and then, all of a sudden, all of us were thrown into situation requiring us to be separated

And all of this is without even considering how other huge issues like the election and racial tensions have affected us!

My hope is that, even as things get back to so-called normal (whatever that will look like), two things will be true

First, my hope is that we all react to one another more gently

In other circumstances, two people interacting may not know what is going on in the life of the other person (maybe a death in the family or a work issue or whatever)

I can assume that you have been through a massive trauma this year

We may not know how another person has experienced this past year, but we can assume it has beaten them up somehow

I truly hope this makes us all a little more gentle with one another

Second, I hope it reveals to us how much we need one another

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Gen 2:18).

Quite literally you can’t get past chapter 2 in your Bible before you read that it’s not good for people to be alone

Now obviously that, in part, is a statement on marriage

But more broadly, we need each other

We were designed to be in community with and relationship with one another

Even as many workplaces are trying to figure out what returning to in-person work will look like or if the company should remain completely remote

Even as in many parts of the countries, schools are going to reopen in person this fall for the first time since March 2020

We are reminded that we need one another

One Another

And it is that phrase, one another, that I want to focus in on for the next few minutes

Occurred twice just in the two verses from Hebrews 10 we read

Occurs in 101 verses in New Testament

Some are generic statements like “They said to one another"

But many are commands or admonitions toward community

Some positive (love one another), some negative (do not lie to one another), some combo (don’t repay evil, but seek to do good to one another)

I want us all to hear the weight of these words, so I am going to read a bunch of them

I’m not going to stop and comment on each

But I want you to hear the weight of these words repeated over and over in the Scriptures

Start with the negative commands

Negative Commands / Admonitions

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. (Rom 14:13)

To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? (1 Cor 6:7)

But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. (Gal 5:15)

Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Gal 5:26)

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices (Col 3:9)

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. (Titus 3:3)

Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. (James 4:11)

Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. (James 5:9)

Positive Commands / Admonitions

If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. (John 13:14)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. (John 13:34)

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:35)

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

These things I command you, so that you will love one another. (John 15:17)

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Rom 12:10)

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. (Rom 12:16)

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, (Rom 15:5)

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Rom 15:7)

I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. (Rom 15:14)

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. (Rom 16:16)

So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another (1 Cor 11:33)

that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. (1 Cor 12:25)

All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. (1 Cor 16:20)

Greet one another with a holy kiss. (2 Cor 13:12)

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Gal 5:13)

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal 6:2)

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, (Eph 4:2)

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Eph 4:32)

addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, (Eph 5:19)

submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Eph 5:21)

bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. (Col 3:13)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16)

and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, (1 Thess 3:12)

Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, (1 Thess 4:9)

Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thess 4:18)

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thess 5:11)

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. (1 Thess 5:15)

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. (2 Thess 1:3)

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Heb 3:13)

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16)

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, (1 Pet 1:22)

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. (1 Pet 4:8)

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Pet 4:9)

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Pet 4:10)

Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Pet 5:5)

Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (1 Pet 5:14)

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. (1 John 3:11)

And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. (1 John 3:23)

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:11)

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (1 John 4:12)

And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. (2 John 5)

Key Ideas

I’m not going to go through all of those I just read and talk about each

Hopefully just hearing so many has impressed upon you the priority

But make sure you catch some of the things we are to do with one another

Love one another

Submit to one another

Greet one another

Encourage one another

Show hospitality to one another

Exhort and instruct one another

Seek to do good to one another

Stir one another on toward love and good deeds

In short: The Christian life was not intended to be lived alone

Application

Church

It’s easy, especially given live streaming, to stay at home and watch on TV

Or even if you come, to leave it at “I went to church”

But how are you engaged in the “one another” community of the church?

In particular, as we emerge from this bizarro season, it’s time to pursue community

That starts with participation in the weekly gathering of God’s people

One thing I like to talk about is what I refer to as the 1-1-1 of church life

One place of worship

One place where you are growing spiritually

One place where you are serving

Simple framework for pursuing the community of God’s people

Two other thoughts

Be the “One Another”

That is, who do you know that you can ”one another”

Who can you greet? Love? Encourage? Show hospitality to?

Who is weak right now where you can be strong?

Receive the “One Another”

Where do you need to be “one anothered”?

Where do you need to be exhorted? Encouraged? Loved? Supported?

Sometimes it is even harder to receive that one another than to give it

Where is the gospel?

God is perfect community - Father, Son and Holy Spirit

Experiencing and living this type of community will actually reveal the character of God to us

The Trinity is mutual submission, love and respect

Our ability to love is because he loved us first

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends (John 15:12-13)

Or, as John wrote later in his first epistle, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19)

Our call to obedience - in this case, our call to serve and love and participate in community with one another - rests in the love of Christ which both comes first and is the power for our love

Let me go back to one more phrase in Hebrews 10:24-25

And all the more as you see the Day approaching

All of this is in anticipation of the day when Jesus will return that we might be with him forever

We will then, all of the people of God, experience community with Christ himself

So let us seek community, seek connection, because we are the people of God awaiting the day we will be with our God, all of us, forever